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R C Congress 2010 – Embrace Change. Implications for NAIN and its Member Organizations. Message:. Interfaith is now integral to religious communications Change is rapid and affects who hears the message Who is not getting our message?. What does not change?.
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R C Congress 2010 – Embrace Change Implications for NAIN and its Member Organizations
Message: • Interfaith is now integral to religious communications • Change is rapid • and affects who hears the message • Who is not getting our message?
What does not change? • Need for vetting, evaluation, and reflection • Core values still important • Good content and good, authentic stories are never out of style, but
Koan • If a story is told and no one hears – is it a story? • NAIN and its member orgs need to have a communications plan that keeps them • current, • relevant, and • visible.
Today’s communications are • short • immediate • visual • interactive
Print media – newspapers, magazines, books Going, gone – or online readers A Few Changes Evolving ...
A Few Changes Evolving ... • Downloads – legal or illegal • Music: Tapes, CDs
Personal computers Handheld devices A Few Changes Evolving ...
Private / Static – read only websites Public / Interactive sites - Social media – Everyone contributes A Few Changes Evolving ...
Text-based search engines #1 Search Engine = Google – every kind of search imaginable [text, image, video, maps, etc.] #2 Search Engine = YouTube!! People want visual information A Few Changes Evolving ...
Blogs Twitter – People want it brief and immediate A Few Changes Evolving ...
Letters Email [Remember stamps? USPS is in trouble.] A Few Changes Evolving ... • Email • Texting • [while driving – give me a break!]
Scheduled TV – going home for favorite show On-demand TV – DVR Mobile TV [on your smartphone] A Few Changes Evolving ...
Virtual Faith?? • Lifechurch.tv - “The church isn't a building--it's people. And we think you'll find LifeChurch.tv a pretty friendly bunch! …” • Churchonline.tv - “… watch LIVE on your iPhone or Ipod Touch!” • [and many others]
Virtual Faith?? • Mecca on Second Life - perform the ritual of Hajj in virtual reality form • Anglican Cathedral on Second Life • Convert to Judaism Online – several websites
Smartphone Apps • Listen to Azan - five times a day, every prayer time • World Religions encyclopedias • Jewish Calendar
Smartphone Apps • Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh • Sacred Scriptures – Bible [every translation], Holy Qur’an, Mormon Church's Sacred Texts, Holy Zend Avesta, Holy Vedas, Holy Torah, Holy Tanakh
Meeting Needs • Popularity indicates that these evolving media meet real needs • If a modern app brings people to an inner experience or increased understanding, isn’t this the point of communication? • If our preferred media forms disappear, what we will we then do?
A Concern • Many of these evolving media appeal to the affluent • How do people of faith keep up with the times – get their message out there – without deepening the divide between rich and poor? • RCCongress did not give a very good answer to my question on this issue
What I am NOT Proposing • Throw away newspapers, books, webpages and computers and buy an iPhone • Abandon face-to-face contact and hold all meetings on Second Life
What I AM Proposing • Help fill a much-needed role to vet and evaluate media stories • Contribute faith values to the conversation [example – let’s get back to civil discourse, PLEASE] • Support libraries and create other innovative ways to include the less affluent
What I AM Proposing • Be aware of – and learn from - new media trends that are meeting real needs • Have a flexible communications plan that embraces change thoughtfully • Investigate social media, which provide cost-effective ways to involve people in your message – not just for the young!!
NAIN & Social Media • IFYC’s Bridge-Builders site [Ning platform] exceeded in 6 months a 2-yr. goal of 1000 members. • CPWR has radically improved its web presence since 2005. It now includes the Social Media site PeaceNext. • NAIN has a Facebook page [created May 2010] that has attracted 105+ friends, without much marketing. We are exploring increased visibility.